No hurry in Akbar graft case

JAKARTA: A panel of five Supreme Court justices has yet to decide on the appeal brought by House Speaker Akbar Tandjung against his graft conviction, and has said that no target date had been set to finish it.

"We have no target date. We will deal with it in good time," said Justice Paulus E. Lotulung, who heads the panel hearing Akbar's appeal.

The case is currently being examined by the fourth justice, Parman Suparman. As the chairman of the panel, Paulus will be the last to examine the case. After Paulus examines it, the five justices will hold discussions before arriving at a final decision.

Chief Justice Bagir Manan has said that the court is expected to present its verdict on Akbar's case in August or September of this year.

Akbar, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, has been sentenced to three year in jail for embezzling Rp 40 billion in Bulog funds. He remains free pending the decision of the Supreme Court. -- JP